


Undeniable Truths

by Let_Your_Chaos_Explode



Series: Tropes Galore! [3]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Aretuza (The Witcher), F/F, Love Confessions, Post-Episode: s01e05 Bottled Appetites, Protective Tissaia, Tropes, Truth Serum
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:00:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25677751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Let_Your_Chaos_Explode/pseuds/Let_Your_Chaos_Explode
Summary: Yennefer did not heed Tissaia’s warning in Rhinde. While searching for her cure, Yennefer gets dosed with a truth serum. She runs to the only person she trusts for help, the one person she’s never been able to get away from —Tissaia.
Relationships: Tissaia de Vries/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Series: Tropes Galore! [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1855369
Comments: 24
Kudos: 142





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a one-shot but things never do work out the way I plan. Another trope for the bag and way for me to avoid writing more of Retrograde. 
> 
> I own nothing from the Witcher!

Undeniable Truths

“I need your help.”

No formal greeting. No courteous, ‘How are you?’ And certainly no tact. 

Tissaia did not put down the book she was reading, and merely gave Yennefer a raised brow at the rude interruption. 

“Don’t ask me any questions!” Yennefer quickly added. 

Tissaia slowly snuffs the tobacco in her pipe and closes her book stiffly. She does not rise from behind her antiquated desk, but finally gives the unsettled woman her full attention. 

“Last I recall, some things were, what was it...just beyond my scope and that you would _never_ return to Aretuza. And yet, here you are. Am I hearing this right? Does the great Yennefer of Vengerberg need _my_ help?” 

Needless to say she was still a bit bitter about their previous exchange. The sharp words Yennefer had cut her with in Rhinde were easily thrown back in her face. 

“Yes.” Yennefer grinds out through clenched teeth. 

“What...” Tissaia starts to question. 

Yennefer nearly leaps at her in her haste to shut her up. Arms outstretched and scattering the contents of Tissaia’s desk to the floor, she loudly hushes her. “NO! No questions!” 

If Tissaia wasn’t prepared for Yennefer’s particular brand of unpredictability, she might have been startled. Instead, she leaned back in her chair and let her eyebrow join the other at her hairline. 

The Rectoress waved her hand and cleared the mess Yennefer had created and gestured for the woman to sit in the chair across from her. 

“Explain.” 

Yennefer fell with little grace into the proffered chair and lets her head fall into her hands. Tissaia conjures two glasses of wine and offers one wordlessly. 

“No, that’s what got me into this mess.” Yennefer declines, peeking through her fingers. 

She inclines her head with curiosity, but sets the drink aside and remains quiet.

“You were.....right.” Yennefer struggles with the verbiage on her tongue. “I accepted a potion from a charlatan. He said it was the cure I have been searching for. Then he started asking questions. Tissaia, I didn’t mean to tell him!”

“What did you tell him?” Tissaia interrupts. 

Yennefer’s face twists and falls flat as she answers monotonously, “I told him I was no longer with the brotherhood. I told him you remained at Aretuza. I told him we hadn’t spoken in a few years.”

Yennefer slapped her hands on the desk and glared at the Rectoress. “Goddamnit, Tissaia!” 

Tissaia’s eyes widen and she leans forward with full interest, comprehension dawning across her sharp features. 

“You ingested a truth serum.” She surmises. 

Yennefer exhales harshly through her nose and speaks slowly, deliberately. 

“I cannot tell lies. Nor can I fight the...compulsion to answer the questions that I am asked.” 

“You foolish girl.” 

Tissaia’s voice is cool, and laced with the faintest hint of disappointment. Her eyes remain hard as she scrutinizes Yennefer’s face, but the creases in the corners and tightness of her jaw betray her. Yennefer can see the worry underneath. 

“And what would you have me do?” Tissaia asks her, voice potent with frustration. 

“Me.” 

The word falls from Yennefer’s tongue unrestrained. Mortification pours over Yennefer and she scrambles to recover. 

“Help me.” She says quickly and immediately averts her eyes, unwilling to let the older woman see her humiliation. 

Tissaia’s hand travels up to touch the heavy pendant around her neck as she contemplates Yennefer’s dilemma. The violet-eyed mage watches the delicate hand intently before looking away once more, attempting to stamp down her rising desire. 

“You have a talent with potions. You developed the De Vries extract, you can create a cure!”

“It took me two lifetimes to achieve that!” She exclaims in exasperation. 

Tissaia set her half-empty glass on the desk and began to slowly pace in front of her expansive bookcase. On her third pass in front of her, Yennefer reached out and tentatively touched her elbow. 

Tissaia stilled and Yennefer quickly withdrew her hand. 

“Please.”

Tissaia let her eyes roam over Yennefer’s body. If asked, it was purely for scientific reasons. Her eyes were guarded and weary. Her naturally wild mane of curls was a tangled mess that, combined with her general chaotic nature, gave her the appearance of a woman on the edge. It likely took everything in her to swallow her pride and drag her way to Thanedd. To _her_. Why her? She never wanted any of her help before. 

And of course Tissaia was going to help her. She never could stand to see Yennefer suffer, for some inexplicable reason. That doesn’t mean Yennefer needed to know that. 

“I’ll do what I can. In exchange, I’ll expect a favor in return.” 

Yennefer couldn’t help the devilish smile that broke on her face. “Oh Tissaia, I didn’t realize you needed some of your own _needs_ met. I get it, quid pro quo.” 

A crimson wave rose up over Tissaia before she could control it and she sputtered. “Don’t be crass. Not _that_ kind of favor!”

But still, Yennefer’s grin remained. Any chance to ruffle the rigid Rectoress, she would take. 

Tissaia took a calming breath and the mask fell back into place. She withdrew a singular book from the shelf and set it on the desk before returning to her former student. She stood a few paces back but pinned Yennefer with a searching gaze. She clasped her hands at her middle and inclined her head. 

“Do you trust me, Yennefer?” 

“Yes.” Came her immediate, honest response. 

“Good.” Tissaia said simply. “You’re going to need to.” 

Yennefer narrowed her eyes slightly as the older sorceress returned to her forgotten glass. 

“You will remain here at Aretuza until we find a solution. It is in your best interests to remain in these room and not to engage with anyone. You will research in the areas that I provide for you while I teach and attend to Chapter business.” 

“I didn’t realize I was to be your prisoner.” Yennefer bites out sardonically. 

Tissaia takes a long sip from the last of her wine and Yennefer can’t help but drink in the sight of the pale column of her bared throat. 

“My dear, do you have any idea of the extent of the predicament you have gotten yourself into?”

“Yes.” Yennefer replies as prompted. “For fuck’s sake, stop!” 

Tissaia allows a small quirk of the lips at Yennefer’s indignation. 

“I could ask you any question in the world, and you would have to answer. You have made yourself entirely too vulnerable and you are trusting me not to abuse that power.” 

Yennefer purses her lips and digs her fingernails angrily into the leather of her chair. 

“Now imagine what any other individual could do with that power.” 

Tissaia leans forward and cups Yennefer’s chin firmly in her hand and meets her eyes. 

“ _I_ am not any other person.” She says gently before releasing her. “But I am just that. You will need to be forgiving of certain...missteps. I promise, I will not intentionally use these circumstances against you.” 

Yennefer let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding as Tissaia released her and cleared her throat. 

“Where do we start?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tissaia and Yennefer begin their hunt for a cure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry it took so long to update. I am in a writing rut right now. Eventually I will gain traction and update this and Retrograde.

The waxing crescent moon hung low in the sky over Aretuza. Yennefer watched it wistfully out of Tissaia’s office window. 

“This would go a lot quicker with a second set of eyes.” 

“I don’t want to read anymore.” Yennefer grumbled. 

“Tell me again what the tonic looked like.” Tissaia urged. 

“Tissaia, there is no more information for me to give you. I couldn’t make it up if I tried.” Yennefer said exasperatedly as she pushed off of her perch at the window. 

The candles lighting office were burnt to stumps and both women felt a similar fashion. Tissaia flicked through the pages of one of the many tomes in her collection before snapping it shut as if the book itself had offended her. 

“We’re not going to make any sort of progress if you put yourself in an early grave.” Yennefer continued, collapsing dramatically into one of the armchairs. “Can we give it a rest?”

Tissaia pinched the bridge of her nose and massaged her temples. She stood, and Yennefer had to bite her tongue to stem the steam of jokes as she heard a series of pops and cracks from Tissaia’s protesting body. 

“Come.” She commanded quietly. 

And with her voice roughened with fatigue, the dulcet tones sent an aching throb straight to Yennefer’s core. Indeed, the double entendres remained unaddressed. Yennefer didn’t need Tissaia to know all of her dirty secrets. 

Nevertheless, Yennefer scrambled to her feet and followed the Rectoress into her bedchamber. 

“You will stay here. I cannot have you wandering about the halls.” 

Yennefer took the opportunity to inspect the woman’s private bedroom. The decoration was sparse, Tissaia clearly putting more of her personality into her office and library than her quarters. A four poster bed took center stage, accented only by a dresser, a wardrobe, a bookshelf, and a chaise. Rich, garnet tones colored the bed, complimenting the warm mahogany of the wooden frame. Sheer, golden drapes cascaded from the tallest points of the four poster. There was no window, and all the light came from a beautifully-crafted, sea glass chandelier above. 

Yennefer shifted from foot to foot as Tissaia looked at her expectantly. 

“Where, exactly?” 

“Do act your age.” Tissaia scoffed. “You may either sleep on the chaise or grow up and share the bed. I don’t imagine it’s the first time you’ve shared a bed in your lifetime.” 

Yennefer bit her tongue to resist the unnatural urge to reply. Thankfully, there was no question. 

Tissaia arched a sculpted brow before plucking a nightgown from her wardrobe. She hesitated a brief moment before removing a second. 

“You’ll need dressings for tonight, then?” Tissaia assumed. 

Yennefer took the proffered sleepwear with a scoff. “Yes. I usually sleep in the nude.” 

Tissaia cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Yes, well, a new routine then. I require at least a date first.”

Yennefer choked on her own spit and fell to the bed, clutching her chest. “She has jokes!” 

“I am capable of such things every now and again.” 

Tissaia left her then through a door to what Yennefer assumed was the bathroom. Yennefer fingered the edge of the plain, cotton garment she was given and, with a smirk of triumph, gave it a bit more personality. She quickly removed her heavy dress and donned the sleepwear. The simple, knee-length, white shift was replaced with black silk. Yennefer cut a few inches off the bottom, letting it fall mid-thigh. The neckline she edged with lace as it hugged swell of her breasts. 

_Much better._ She smirked. 

At that moment, Tissaia emerged from the bathroom. She was adorned only in the modest nightgown and feet bare. Stripped of her armor of high-necked dress and heeled boots, she appeared significantly smaller. Delicate, even. 

She was breathtaking. 

Yennefer swallowed hard and averted her eyes. Nothing good could possibly come from this arrangement. 

“Move over. You’re on my side.” 

Yennefer snorted in disbelief but complied. She traveled slowly around the bed, letting her fingers trail across the soft material of the sheets, reveling in the gaze that followed her every step. Yennefer settled under the sheets and propped her head on her hand, patting the space next to her.

“I kept it warm for you.” 

Tissaia tolled her eyes and slipped in next to her. 

“I heard if you keep making that face your eyes will get stuck that way.” Yennefer teased. 

“I wouldn’t have to make such faces if you didn’t say things that warranted them.” 

Tissaia reached behind her head and expertly removed the pins holding her tight knot in place. It took all of Yennefer’s willpower not to reach out and touch it as it cascaded over Tissaia’s shoulders. 

“I hope you don’t snore.” She said instead. 

“No, but I know you do.” Tissaia shot back, tucking herself firmly beneath the sheets as she lie on her back. 

Yennefer opened her mouth to argue but found the words strangled in her throat. Her hands instinctually came up to her neck in a brief panic before she remembered. Tissaia observed her from the corner of her eye and could not contain the smirk that pulled at her lips. 

“You did that on purpose.” Yennefer glared.

She released an indignant huff and settled back, mirroring Tissaia’s position before turning once more to face the older woman. 

“Get some sleep, dear. Tomorrow will be a long day.” Tissaia said, cutting off any further attempts at conversation. 

With a wave of her hand, the light of the glittering chandelier above was snuffed and the room was cast into darkness. 

In the absence of the light, Yennefer felt all the weight and insecurity of her situation come crashing down around her. 

“Thank you.” Yennefer whispered through the dark. 

The room remained silent save for their breathing. A fleeting brush of fingers against her forearm was enough to let her know that she was heard. 

Tucked safe inside the walls of Aretuza, Yennefer let herself be lulled to sleep by the steady breathing of the woman next to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s short, I know! I apologize.


End file.
